IMAGE AND MESSAGE INTEGRATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150094106A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambient Consulting, LLC
• Original Assignee: Filmstrip, LLC
• Inventors: Grossman, Andrew, Krutsch, Kenneth F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging

Abstract

A system and method are presented to allow text-based communication between users concerning an image in the form of an image-message. The originator of the communication uses a mobile device app to select an image and enter appropriate text. The recipient mobile device receives an image-message, and then displays the text superimposed over the image. The recipient can enter reply text, which will then be shown superimposed over the image as part of a message stream. The recipient can also alter the image, with the altered image being transmitted back to the originator. When the reply message is active, the altered image is displayed behind the message stream. The user can select an earlier message in the stream to view the image associated with that earlier message.

Claims

1. A method of communication between mobile devices comprising:

a) at a first mobile device, receiving a first textual message from a second mobile device;

b) at the first mobile device, identifying a first visual element related to the first textual message;

c) at the first mobile device, presenting the first visual element on a touchscreen display; and

d) at the first mobile device, presenting the first textual message over the first visual element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first textual message was received in a first instant message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first visual element was received in the first instant message.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

e) at the first mobile device, receiving a second textual message from the second mobile device; and

f) at the first mobile device, presenting the first and second textual messages together on the touchscreen display as a message stream.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second textual messages are both presented over the first visual element.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

g) at the first mobile device, upon receiving an instruction to clear the message stream from the first visual element, removing the message stream and thereby displaying the first visual element on the touchscreen display without presenting the first and second textual messages.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the instruction to clear the message stream is a swiping gesture received on the touchscreen display.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising, at the first mobile device, identifying a second visual element related to the second textual message;

further wherein the message stream is presented over the second visual element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first textual message is displayed in a first message bubble that also includes a first thumbnail depiction of the first visual element and the second textual message is displayed in a second message bubble that also includes a second thumbnail depiction of the second visual element.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second visual element includes a non-static component chosen from a set comprising an animation or video content;

further wherein the second message bubble further includes control interface elements to control a presentation of the non-static component of the second visual element.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

g) identifying a second visual element related to the second textual message; and

h) at the first mobile device, receiving selection input from the touchscreen display selecting one of the first textual message and the second textual message, wherein when the first textual message is selected the message stream is displayed over the first visual element, and further wherein when the second textual message is selected the message stream is displayed over the second visual element.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selection input is a scrolling of the message stream, wherein textual messages are selected based on their location on the touchscreen display during the scrolling.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) at the first mobile device, after receiving the first textual message, receiving user text input for a response textual message;

f) at the first mobile device, receiving image alteration input to alter the first visual element into an altered visual element;

g) at the first mobile device, transmitting the response textual message and data sufficient to render the altered visual element to the second mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data sufficient to render the altered visual element is metadata describing the image alteration input.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the data sufficient to render the altered visual element is a rendered image file.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first textual message includes a message identifier, and wherein the step of identifying the first visual element related to the first textual message comprises:

i) at the first mobile device, submitting a query to a remote server requesting data relating to the message identifier, and

ii) at the first mobile device, receiving the first visual element related to the first textual message from the remote server in response to the query.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first visual element received from the remote server comprises a visual image and instructions for modifying the visual image, wherein the step of presenting the first visual element further comprises modifying the visual image according to the instructions for modifying.

18. A method of communication between mobile devices comprising:

a) at a first mobile device, receiving a selection of a first visual element through user input on a touchscreen display;

b) at the first mobile device, receiving a first textual message through the touchscreen display;

c) at the first mobile device, determining a first message identifier;

d) at the first mobile device, transmitting a first instant message to a second mobile device, the first instant message comprising the first visual element and the first textual message;

wherein the first instant message further comprises the first message identifier; and

e) at the first mobile device, transmitting a first server message to a remote server, the first server message comprising the first message identifier, the first textual message, and the first visual element.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of receiving the selection of the first visual element further comprises:

i) receiving a selection of a first image,

ii) receiving first augmentation instructions to augment the first image, and

iii) creating a first rendered image by applying the first augmentation instructions to the first image.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first visual element transmitted in the first instant message comprises the first rendered image, further wherein the first visual element in the first server message comprises the first image and the first augmentation instructions, thereby allowing remote creation of the first rendered image using the data in the first server message.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

f) at the first mobile device, receiving a second instant message from the second mobile device, the second instant message comprising a second message identifier and a second textual message.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

g) at the first mobile device, displaying the first textual message and the second textual message on the touchscreen display as a message stream presented over the first visual element.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

g) at the first mobile device, submitting a query to the remote server requesting data relating to the second message identifier;

h) at the first mobile device, receiving from the remote server a second visual element relating to the second textual message; and

i) at the first mobile device, displaying the first textual message and the second textual message on the touchscreen display as a message stream presented over the second visual element.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second visual element received from the remote server comprises second augmentation instructions to augment the first image, further comprising, at the first mobile device, applying the second augmentation instructions to the first image to create the second visual element displayed on the touchscreen display.

25. A mobile device comprising:

a) a touchscreen display;

b) a processor;

c) a network interface;

d) non-transitory, physical memory;

e) a cellular interface for communicating cellular messages with a remote mobile device; and

f) programming on the non-transitory, physical memory providing instructions that program the processor to;

i) receive over the cellular interface a first instant message from the remote mobile device, the first instant message containing a first textual message and a message identifier;

ii) submit a query over the network interface to a remote server requesting visual image data relating to the message identifier;

iii) receive a first visual element from the remote server in response to the query; and

iv) present on the touchscreen display the first textual message over the first visual element.

26. The mobile device of claim 25, wherein the first visual element received from the remote server is a first image and instructions to augment the first image, wherein the programming instructs the processor to render the first visual element by applying the instructions to augment to the first image.

27. The mobile device of claim 25, wherein the programming further comprises instructions that program the processor to:

v) receive a response textual message via a user interface presented over the touchscreen display;

vi) identify a response message identifier for the response textual message; and

vii) transmit over the cellular interface a response instant message to the remote mobile device, the response instant message containing the response textual message and the response message identifier.

28. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein the programming further comprises instructions that program the processor to:

viii) receive augmentation instructions via the user interface for augmenting the first visual element;

ix) transmit over the network interface a server message to the remote server, the server message comprising the augmentation instructions and the response message identifier.